Seahawks, Green ground, pound Devils in first round

In what could have been the final home game of his stellar high school career, Myrtle Beach High running back Jermani Green turned in a career performance at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium.

Green rushed for a personal-best 283 yards and five touchdowns – all in the opening 18 minutes of the game – to lead the No. 5-ranked Seahawks to a 57-7 victory over visiting Dreher in Friday’s first round of the Class 4A playoffs.

“That was our game plan: We wanted to be physical, get the ball to No. 10 and let him set the table for us,” Myrtle Beach coach Mickey Wilson said of Green. “He’s a four-year starter and we wanted to feed him tonight.”

Green, who had seen his production and number of carries decrease in recent weeks, made up for it Friday. He was coming off a three-fumble performance at Hartsville and has been forced to split time as a defensive back.

Ironically, that unit set the table for Green and the Seahawks’ offense. Myrtle Beach intercepted five passes, three in the first quarter, and Green found the end zone three times for a quick 21-0 lead.

After a bad punt snap rolled out of the end zone for a Dreher safety, Green scored his fourth TD and Myrtle Beach (8-1) added another special teams score on a 39-yard field goal by Chad Toone.

The Seahawks’ high-flying pass attack finally got into the act on a Luke Doty-to-Wyatt Roach TD pass. Toone booted a 29-yarder to end the first half and give Myrtle Beach a 43-0 halftime advantage.

T.J Austin made Myrtle Beach’s fourth interception of the night to start the second half, and Green cashed in on it again with 9-yard TD run for his fifth rushing score and a 50-0 lead.

Austin Randall got his second pick and the team’s fifth late in the third quarter to stop Dreher’s deepest penetration to that point of the game. Both teams xored fourth quarter TDs to account fore the final score.

Myrtle Beach and Green also earned another home game as Region 6-4A foe and No. 4-seeded Marlboro County defeated top-seeded Airport 48-20 in Columbia. The Seahawks host the Bulldogs next Friday in the second round.